Mumbai, — The Maharashtra government on Saturday said it had established contact with 338 of 404 people from the state who were in the Nepal–Tibet region when sudden flash floods struck parts of central Nepal. A state report said 37 citizens were being shifted to India, while 60 remain untraceable, prompting intensified tracing and rescue efforts coordinated with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
What the state report said
The State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) is coordinating with the MEA control room and regularly sending updated lists, the report said. It added that the MEA has provided a list of 149 Indian nationals — all from various districts of Maharashtra — who are currently safe in the China/Tibet region. The state government has forwarded this list to district collectors for identification and follow-up, according to the same report.
"The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has also provided a list of 149 Indian citizens currently in the China/Tibet region to the Maharashtra government," the report said.
The report also noted that 105 citizens from Nagpur had already returned to India and were counted among the 404 people reported safe.
Groups yet to be traced and travel-agent link
Authorities said that 60 tourists travelled to Nepal through Mumbai-based Richa Tours Pvt Ltd and contact has not yet been established with this group. Information about another six citizens came through an online link, but officials had not been able to get in touch with them either, the report said.
- Total people from Maharashtra reported in Nepal–Tibet region: 404
- Contacted and ensured well-being: 338
- Being shifted to India: 37
- Untraceable so far: 60
- Indians in China/Tibet (MEA list): 149
- From Nagpur already back: 105
Administrative response and next steps
The SEOC report said district authorities are verifying information about stranded citizens. Rescue teams have reportedly been deployed at affected locations in Nepal as required. Officials are maintaining contact with travel agencies and family members through helplines while efforts to trace missing citizens continue.
The state has sought to identify the 149 names given by the MEA by routing them to the respective district collectors, the document added. This process is aimed at confirming addresses and arranging for travel and quarantine or medical checks as required on return.
| Category | Number |
|---|---|
| People from Maharashtra in Nepal–Tibet region | 404 |
| Contacted and safe | 338 |
| Being shifted to India | 37 |
| Untraceable | 60 |
| MEA list: Indians in China/Tibet | 149 |
| Already returned (Nagpur) | 105 |
Practical implications for families in Maharashtra
District administrations have been asked to cross-check the MEA list and the SEOC lists against local records. Families of those travelling with Richa Tours have been advised to use the helpline numbers shared by district collectors and the SEOC while awaiting confirmations. The report reiterated that coordination continues between the state SEOC and the MEA control room.
Officials told the state they would continue to update the lists and relay information to concerned district authorities. The report did not provide timelines for the transfer of the 37 people being shifted to India nor details of the routes and reception arrangements on return, beyond the confirmation that district-level verification was under way.
The flash floods that swept through Rasuwa and other parts of central Nepal earlier this week caused fatalities and damage, complicating search and rescue work and displacing travellers, the report noted. Maharashtra authorities are relying on consular and local rescue teams present in the affected areas, as reflected in regular exchanges with the MEA.
Families seeking information have been urged to stay in touch with their district collectorates and the SEOC helplines for the latest updates, while officials continue tracing missing citizens and coordinating repatriation as required.
Reporting from Mumbai.
